Damon's Friend
by JJBluebell
Summary: what if there was one other person that Damon cared for apart from Kathrine and himself? a girl he met years before he returned to Mysic Falls, his only friend. DamonxOC PLZ PLZ R
1. New Home, New Friend's

I get out of the taxi I took from the hotel I'd been staying at, and collect my suitcase. I walk into 'Bree's Bar' while caressing my locket, it fits snugly into my palm, the silver folded angel wings, that open, creating a heart shape. As I walk in I check my reflection in the window, I see a small, snow white, busty, curved, seventeen year old girl, with dark chocolate brown hair, blue to silver traced down my straight layers, ending just past my shoulder, my emo fringe falling lightly on my rosy cheek, iced blue eyes with light blue and black eye shadow and untouched petal pink lips, wearing fitted, ripped dark blue jeans, a black loose belt with a small silver chain hanging at my waist, bright blue converse and fitted pail blue t-shirt with black vines and words reading 'your cute…I kill you last', hanging guitar earrings and my locket shining in the sunlight.

I give a confident grin and continue walking into the bar, pulling my case behind me. As I enter the bar I see Damon talking to Bree and a long haired brunette, he sees me and instantly stands running to me, picking me up into a twirling hug then places me down and says "god I've missed you, come on their's someone I want you to meet" he grins at me as he takes my case, placing it behind the bar for safekeeping. We walk back to where he was sitting and the brunette turns. I cant help but gasp, thinking I know who she is, but then I look at her eyes and know that she isn't her, not Katherine. I smile and offer my hand "hi, you must be Elena, am Jackie" she takes my hand and says "you ok? You looked a bit shaken just now." I smile at her concern as I take my seat and answer "am fine, just that for a minute there I thought you we're someone else. But then I saw your eyes and knew that you couldn't be her" her smile dropped as she asked "you mean Katherine. You knew her, what do mean my eyes?" I place my hand on her shoulder and say "no I didn't, but Damon's told me about her and I've seen pictures, and even in the photos her eyes were cold, empty, but yours are warm, full of kindness. that's why you couldn't be her." her smile returns, liking the point of difference I made and says "thank you".

Damon is sitting on one side of me, Elena on the other, as the hours pass. We've drank a bit, played pool, talked about what Damon's been up to in Mystic Falls, Elena's past and done dare games. I go to the toilet at the same time as Damon, but return a few moments later. I walk up to him, his face full of confusion, and I say "hay what's up?" he simply takes my hand and says "Elena's missing" as he pulls me from the bar and round the back, and then finds Elena's phone laying on the ground. He continues to hold my hand, until we find Elena standing on a ladder of some sort of power station. She barely has time to warn us "Damon, Jackie no" then suddenly, in a blare, a vampire starts hitting Damon with a bat, and Elena's running to us down the ladder as I scream "leave him alone" then he grabs a gas canister and starts to pour it on him.

As Elena came to us she shouted "NO!" and the vamp turned to her and I bent down to Damon taking his soaked body in my arms. He turned back to us and said "move" looking right at me. I shook my head, tears in my eyes "if you kill him, you can kill me to, coz I wont leave him" and Damon asked "who are you?" he snarled "that's perfect. You have no idea" Elena. Not daring to move, asked "what are you talking about? What'd he do?" he turned back he her tears in his eyes and said "he killed my girlfriend" then turns back to us and screamed "what did she do to you?" and Damon answered honestly "nothing" the vamp then threw the container to the ground and when Elena said that she didn't understand he said "she went to visit Stefan and Damon killed her, got it?" and Elena said "Lexi? Lexi was your girlfriend? She said you where human" he turns back to use and takes out a lighter as he says "I was, but if you wanna be with someone forever, you have to live forever."

I look him in the eyes and beg "please don't do this. Am so sorry for what happened, but please, he's all I have. Please!" he looks to me and says "you have family, friends, her. You deserve more than him" I shake my head "no I don't. My mum died when I was four and Damon killed my father after he found out he was hurting me. I've been with him ever since, an I only met her a few hours ago. Please, without him… I have no one. Your girl must have loved you, to turn you. Lexi? Elena told me about her, she sounded like a good person, so I'm guessing your good to, so don't do this, a good person wouldn't do this, would Lexi have wanted this for you? Please don't make yourself into a monster because of him. Please" he looks down to me through his tears and then quickly picks Damon up out of my arms and throws him back into a large metal door.

I look up to him and he says "he doesn't deserve you" then I says "thank you" he shakes his tear stained face and says "I did for Lexi , not you" with that he leaves and I stand and run to Damon, Elena just on my heals.

After a few minuets Damon was fine, and said for us to wait in the car while he said goodbye to Bree and got my case.

Elena got into the back seat and I waited, leaning on the drivers side, for Damon when he came out with my case I stood up straight and walked with his as he put it in the trunk. I looked to him and said "you killed her" without closing the trunk he turned to me and said "she called him and said I was here. What if he didn't care about what you said? What if he'd drained you dry? Or Elena? Or killed me? She was a threat to us, I did what had to be done." I nod with a sad smile as I rap my arms around him, my head resting on his chest lightly. He returns my hug and I say "I know you did, thank you" without a word he grabbed my face gently and kissed my forehead. He then shut the trunk and walked to the drivers side as I walked to the passengers seat.

The drive back was nice Elena and I slept most of the night, and come morning were laughing and joking with Damon. As we drove Elena turned to Damon and asked "why'd you bring me with you?" he turns and answers "well, your not the worst company in the world Elena, you should give yourself more credit." she smiles to him and asks "seriously?" Damon just turns to the road and answers "well…I don't know, there you were lying in the road, all damsel in distress like. And I knew it'd piss off Stefan. And your not the worst company in the world Elena, and besides it's good for Jackie to know someone besides me when we get back." Elena sits back in her seat and sighs "I used to be more fun" I turn to her with a smile and said "you were plenty fun Elena, don't worry bout it." she crouches forward again and says "you saved his life." Damon turns to us with his trademark smirk and said "I know" I giggly lightly as I say happily "yep I did, and you totally owe me a pizza for it" they laughed with me.

As we arrive at the boarding house Damon takes my things upstairs, as Elena asks "Jackie I just have to ask, how can you trust him? Damon? Knowing what he's done?" I smile to her and say "because not only did he save me from a crappy-ass life, but Damon doesn't lie and he'd never hurt me, he's my best friend, and as far as what he's done goes, it doesn't matter to me, he's never killed a kid, someone I care about or anything like that. He isn't perfect Elena, and besides when you care about someone enough to kill or die for them, then it doesn't matter about the bad things or the past, all that matters is that smile that makes you feel like you must have done something right, because their happy." she smiles warmly to me and says "I should go talk to Stefan. Thanks Jackie, Damon's lucky to be your friend and so am I." with that she walks up stairs and within seconds Damon's at my side and says "hungry?" I smile as he takes my hand and walk me to the kitchen to make something to eat.

After we made the pasta, Damon and I walked happily to Stefan's room, each of up holding two bowls each. When we walked in Damon said "dinner time" I saw a boy I guessed as Stefan holding a crying Elena. I immediately put down the bowls and ran to her and said "Elena what's wrong?" she turned to me and hugged me tightly as she sobbed "I just found out I'm adopted. that's why I look like her." I take her in my arms and say "oh Elena sweetie, it's ok. Hay look…" I pulled away and lifted her head so she could see me, moving hair from her face I said "I was adopted to, kind of, and I know how hard this is, but am here, everyone is here for you" she smiled to me and said, wiping her eyes "thanks Jackie".

It was then that I noticed a confused Stefan sitting on the other side of Elena and gave him a smile and said "hi am Jackie, am a friend of Damon's and I'm living here now. Elena and I met when he came to pick me up. You must be Stefan." he nodded to me politely. Damon broke the tension and said "pasta?" raising two bowls in the air.

After some food Elena left and I went upstairs to unpack. As I walked into my room my mouth hit the floor, it was beautiful, the wall's a pastel blue with silver markings, the floor light oak laminate, a large queen sized bed on the far wall, a large wardrobe with a vanity cabinet next to it, a desk with a computer a few feet away from the bed, laying in front of a half-circle window, selves and my suitcase next to a fancy door that leads to a Victorian styled bathroom.

I heard a voice say from behind me "like it?" I turned and ran to Damon, embracing him tightly and said "I love it" I turned to the bed and jumped on it giddily. As damon takes a seat next to me on the bed he says "you ok?" I smile up to him and say "am good, you?" he simply nods and I say "I like Elena, shes nice" he nods slightly and says "I know" I became searous and say "don't hurt her" he looks down to me and says detached "ok" with that I smile again and cuddle into him, feeling very tired, and say "I've missed you Damon" and fall asleep in his arms, dreaming of my new home, new town, new friends and of course…of Damon.


	2. New School, New Vamp

Today is my first day of school and there's a dance. Elena's coming to pick me up and she's helping me with my outfit for tonight. As we arrive at school Elena turns to me with a charm bracelet and says "here, Stefan gave me jewellery with vervain in because of this other vampire and I want to make sure your safe" I smile to her and say "thanks Elena but I don't need it" she looks to me confused as I take hold of my locket and say "Damon had this made for my birthday a few years ago. He had vervain put into the liquidized silver that was used to make it, so am good for vervain" she smiles as we get out of the car.

As we walk to English, two girls walk up to us, one blonde and the other dark haired. Elena smiles as we meet them half way and says "hey guys, this is Jackie. Jackie this is Caroline and Bonnie." I smile to the girls and say "nice to meet you" they smile back and the blonde, Caroline says "yeah you to, so you coming to the dance tonight?" I nod happily and answer "yep Elena's helping me with my outfit. I just have to convince Damon not to dance me into a coma." Elena and I laugh, but the girls don't and Bonnie asks "Damon Salvatore?" I nod and say "yeah you know him?" I take the look of hatred on their face's in and frown "oh god what did he do?" Caroline says "we went out." then Bonnie "he's evil, if I were you I'd dump him" I shake my head and say "no, no! its not like that. I've known Damon for years, he's my best friend" Caroline looks to me and says "well I hope he's better friend than he was boyfriend" and walks off, Bonnie following behind her. I turn to Elena and say "they hate me" she shakes her head and replies "no! they hate Damon" with that we walk quickly to class.

After school, when Elena has given out her vervain jewellery, I walk to the grill to meet Damon, when my phone rings, I answer to hear Damon's voice "hay my little worker bee, how was your first day?" I sigh and say "ok, apart from the fact that Elena's friends hate me as a direct result of hating you." I can hear him chuckle and I yell "its not funny Damon, I want some people in this town to like me and I cant have that if they all hate my best friend." he responds "I like you, Elena likes you, what more do you need?" I sigh sadly and say "forget it, it doesn't matter. I'll see you at the grill " and hang up.

When I get to the grill I see Damon talking to Bonnie with another guy between them, just as Damon turns to leave he turns back and says "I know you hate me, but don't hate Jackie just because of me." with that he walks over to a table to wait for me. I walk up to him and take my seat as I say "thanks" Damon looks to me confused and I continue "I heard you with Bonnie, so thank you for trying" he smirks and say "ah don't mention it. I order you a plain burger, fries and a coke by the way" I smile to him and nod slightly in thanks and he asks "so Elena helping you with your outfit tonight?" I smile warmly as I answer "yep she's picking me up from here and we're going back to hers to get ready" a waitress appears with our order as he says "you know I'm not dressing up right? Me and the fifties didn't get along well" I laugh with him as we start eating.

After we've eaten I get a text from Elena _'I'm outside x'_ I smile to Damon as I say "Elena's here. I got'a go, see you later." I give him a quick hug and go to meet Elena. On the drive to her house she tell's me about the compass that can point to vampires and we agree that it's dangerous for others to have, but handy for us at this moment in time. We enter the house to see her aunt Jenna. She walks to us and says "hay you must be Jackie, am Jenna" I take her hand and say "nice to meet you" she takes in my smile and asks sweetly "so Elena tells me you live with the Salvatore's?" I nod and say "yep, I've known Damon for a long time and he like me where he can keep an eye on me. I'm kind of a trouble magnet" she laughs with me as Elena says "Jenna, we should really start getting ready" as she pulls me up stairs and I shout down "it was nice meeting you". A little while latter and we're nearly ready, Elena's just finishing her hair. I look myself over in her bedroom mirror and see my usual straight hair curled, wearing a red fifties style black polka dot dress, with small puff sleeves and a wide collar, that shows off my large cleavage and matching small heal strap shoes, my eye shadow and lips a bright blood red, contrasting completely with my ice blue eyes.

I smile as Elena comes out of the bathroom and into the wardrobe. She turns to me and says "can you hear that?" then shouts down the hall to see if anyone's home, that's when I can hear the clicking to. Elena takes the compass from the bed and then calls Stefan, but it just rings and rings as we run down the stairs and I grab my phone and say "I'll try Damon" but before I can press his speed dial number one, a vampire comes rushing at Elena. I run to help her but strong failure arms hold me back, as Stefan beats me to it, throwing the vampire away from us.

Damon raps his arms around me like a protective cocoon as the vampire blurs away, Stefan doing the same to Elena. We sit to try and calm down, Stefan and Elena on the couch, me on the chair and Damon walking around. Standing behind the couch Damon asks "how'd he even get in?" Elena says blankly, shaking slightly "he was invited in." and Stefan specifies "he posed as a pizza delivery guy last night." and Damon jokes "well he gets points for that. Did he say what he wanted?" a bit annoyed Elena answers "no, he was a bit busy trying to kill me." accusingly Stefan asks "and you have know idea who this is?" Damon now standing next to me says "no. don't look at me like that, I told you we had company and you really think I'd but Jackie in danger like that?" I take his hand and smile up to him as he takes a seat on the armrest. Concerned Elena asks "you think there's more than one?" and Damon answers truthfully "we don't know" I look up to Damon and say "if he's been invited that means he can come back anytime he want" Damon nods understanding what I mean and says "then we go get him tonight. You up for it?" he looks between both Elena and myself, and she asks "what do I have to do?" and Damon explains "we go to the dance and see who shows up." Stefan objects but I argue "if we don't do this now then he has time to plan his next move, and there's also the fact that he can come and go as he fucking pleases, killing everyone who lives here." and Elena agrees to the plan, much against Stefan's will.

As we get to the dance Elena walks over to Bonnie and Caroline and I stay with Stefan and Damon. They talk for a moment then Elena comes over to me and pulls me with her to the two girls. I smile weakly as Bonnie starts "listen Jackie am sorry about earlier. Just because we don't like Damon doesn't mean we shouldn't like you for simply being his friend, that's not fair." and Caroline continues "Bonnies right. I mean it's totally not fair of us to judge you before we even know, so I'm sorry to. Friends?" I smile brightly at the girls and say "yeah, I'd love to be friends. Can I start by saying you both look awesome" Caroline shines happily and says "aw thanks you looks totally cute to by the way." and the conversation about who in the crowd of people look terrible started and Elena, unnoticed by us three, walked back over to Stefan.

After a while Damon approaches us and the smiles from my new friends faces fall. he smirks widely as he asks "Miss Crimsons, may I have this dance?" I giggle as I take the hand he's holding out and say "why of cause Mr Salvatore." he take my hand and leads me to the dance floor, Elena and Stefan following behind us. After a few dances Damon and I go to get some punch and a man in a varsity jacket comes up to us and says "I don't recognize you. How'd you get roped into chaperoning?" Damon just looks at him sceptically as he continues "Alaric Saltzman, am the new history teacher." Damon takes his hand and says "oh, the 'cursed' faculty position" Alaric laughs and says "so I've been told." I smile to him and say "Jackie Crimsons." he smiles to me and Damon offers his name and Alaric says "Salvatore? As in Stefan?" without looking at him Damon answers "he's my little brother. Am his legal guardian, hence the chaperoning." and he turns back to Alaric as I take a sip from my drink as he says "I've heard he's very bright not that I've had the pleasure." and Damon smiles as he says "well his attendants records a little spotty. Family drama." and Alaric asks "no parents?" Damon turns back to him and says "it's just the three of us now." looking to me as he says 'three of us' with a smile. Alaric, seemingly fishing to me, asks "you live here your whole life?" and Damon answers "on and off. We travel a bit, Jackie here likes our little road trips." they both smile to me and I say "cant blame a girl for wanting to see the world." as he presses for more information Damon gives him a sceptical look and he apologises and leaves.

We return to the dance floor and after a while I see Stefan talking to Bonnie and I stop, looking round I say "where's Elena?" and Damon takes my hand, pulling me threw the crowd and to Stefan and says "where's Elena?" Stefan takes a look around and says "come on" we all rush into the corridors and search for her franticly, then find her in a fight with the vampire. Just as he goes to sink his teeth in Stefan pulls him away. Damon picks up the piece of mop that had been thrown across the room and holds it behind his neck, standing in front of me slightly and says "hay dickhead, nobody wants to kill you, we just want to talk." with that the vamp races to Elena, Damon throws the stake to Stefan who stabs the vamp in the stomach, bringing him to his knees.

Damon and I walk to them as Stefan asks "now you feel like talking?" I take Elena's shoulders and look her over to make sure she's ok as the vamp says "screw you" and Stefan twists the stake in further. Elena and I look in horror at this as Stefan says "wrong answer. Why are you doing this?" he rolls his eyes and says "because it's fun" and Stefan twists the stake more, as Damon stands with his arms folded next to us while Stefan questions "what do you want with Elena?" the vamp looks at Elena, who's shaking lightly in my arms and says "she looks like Katherine" Stefan takes a step back and I say angrily "she isn't Katharine" and Damon asks "you knew Katharine?" and the vamp laughs bitterly "you thought you were the only ones. You don't even remember me" Damon bends into him and demands "tell me how to get into the tomb" and he answers blankly "no" Stefan pushes the stake in more and Elena retreats in horror and disgust as I stand closer to Damon. "the grimoire" angrily Damon says "where is it?" and the vampire says after a push from the stake "Jonathan Gilbert's journal" and they ask who else is with him but he refuses to answer and then looks to Elena with a side smirk. After a moment of silence, In anger, I walk over and pull the stake from his stomach and into his heart and say "no one hurts my friends" as he falls to the floor.

I turn to see two shocked faces, Damon already knowing that that I'd kill to protect my own and Elena says "how do we find the others now?" Damon simply says "he had to die" and Stefan continues "Elena, he's been invited in" then suddenly a noise and a shadow appear at the window of the door and Stefan turns to Damon "go, I've got this" he turns to leave and I go to follow, but Stefan grabs my arm "you could get hurt" I look up at him sternly and say "I'm a big girl, I can handle myself." I pull my arm away and run to catch up with Damon, I stop as I see him talking, no compelling, Mr Saltzman. And he walks back to me and puts his arm around my shoulders and says "everything fine. Just a teacher without a hall pass." and we walk back to Elena and Stefan.

Stefan takes Elena home and Damon and I go back to the boarding house. After a hot shower and a change into my purple pj's and fuzzy slippers, Damon and I sit down with a pizza to watch a movie in my room as he says "Stefan offered to help me get Katherine out of the tomb" I look up to him and ask "do you believe him?" he shrugs and says "I believe he wants me gone and he said that was his reason, but I don't know. What do you think?" I shake my head and say "I don't know him that well, he could be genuine or he could be lying. Personally, I'd ask Elena, after all he'd tell her if he was backstabbing us right?" he nods in agreement and takes a slice of pizza as I look at him sadly. After taking a bite of his pizza he looks to me and swallows as he puts it back in the box and says with worry "what's wrong?" unable to look at him, knowing I'm on the verge of tears, I ask "what's going to happen to me? When you get Katharine back?" he looks to me confused as he says "what are you talking about?" I look at him now, tears flowing freely "when she comes back your not goina want me anymore? I'll be in the way! And am sure she wont want me around! What if she makes you to leave me or kill me?" he takes my broken face in his hands and says "that wont happen. You could never be in the way, and as for Katharine, I'll just explain how important you are to me and she'll understand." I look away from him in disbelief and he orders softly "look at me. I will never_, never_ leave _you_. You got that?" I nod my head with a small smile as he wipes my tears and kisses my forehead. We turn back to the movie as he says "good, now that that silliness is over, let get back to V torchering the bald woman he loves" I giggle and nuzzle into him taking a slice of pizza and knowing that everything's going to be ok, because _he'll_ never, _never_ leave _me._


	3. New Betrayal, Same Monster

I wake up to the sound of voices and dress quickly into my black jeans and a Paramore t-shirt. I walk down stairs and to find Damon pouring me a bowl of cereal and I take a seat next to him and begin to eat as he asks "so how'd you sleep, any nightmares?" I nod lightly and say "yeah, but just the one and before you ask it was the same. It's always the same." he takes my hand as Elena and Stefan walk in and Stefan says "Damon giving you your to-do list as well?" I shake my head and say "nope just normal chit-chat. So what is your to-do list today?" Stefan answers "Elena and I are to find her ancestors journal" I smile and say "sucks to be you. No pun intended" I take another bite of my cereal as Elena sits next to Stefan and asks "Jackie? You remember the other day when you said you were adopted?" I nod and swallow as she continuers "what did you mean when you said that you were 'kind of adopted'?" I look at her and answer blankly "Nathan and Kelly Crimsons wanted a kid, and then one day there I was, laying on there doorstep, with a note that said '_heard you wanted a baby, I'm to young. Take care of her'. _actually it was only a two towns over from here, but after getting me they moved to New York." I smile to her as she looks to me with sympathy and I say "bored now. TV time." I stand and put my empty bowl in the sink and go to my room to watch TV.

After some time Elena and Stefan are long gone and Damon walks into to my room and said "put your shoes on, we're going to Elena's for dinner" I stand and grab my sneakers, putting them on quickly and walk with Damon to the car. On the drive over he asks me "remember when you said I should ask Elena about Stefan?" I nod lightly and he continues "how do you know she'll tell us the truth?" I turn to him and say "because she's a good person and I trust her and you should to" he smiles to me and said "ok, if you think she's trustworthy, then I'll ask her about Stefan." I smile to him as the car comes to a stop outside of Elena's house.

We knock lightly and Jenna answers and says "hay Jackie, what can I do for you?" I smile to her and say "hay Jenna, this is Damon by the way, and Elena invited us, Damon's cooking" she smiles brightly and says "must have slipped her mind, come on in" we walk in happily and I see a boy playing video games on the couch and say "ohh, video game! You cook, I play" and leave Damon and Jenna to sit with a floppy haired boy on the couch. "Hey you must be Jeremy, am Jackie, Elena's friend. This game have a two player?" looking at me he says "hey, yeah sure" and he hands me the other control and switches to two player mode. We sit and shoot in silence until I win and yell "yes, I am victorious, all must bow before me" I turn to a laughing Jeremy and he says "your not like Elena's other friends" I look at him confused and he says "they would never play video games with me, I don't even think Caroline knows what a video game is. I like you, Your fun." I smile and say with pride "I know. I'm amazing, it's a gift." he laughs again as Damon shouts sarcastically to us "dinner time children" we stand and walk over to the dinning table and eat.

After dinner Damon, Jeremy and I play on the video games. This being Damon and Jeremy's turn, but as the bell goes, Damon stands and walks with Elena to the door and Jeremy says "dude?" I take the control and sit next to him as I say "stop whining, I got your back" and we start to play. After a few minutes Damon, Elena and Stefan come back in and Damon said "so, I heard you found a really cool journal from back in the day." Jeremy pauses the game as they continue to grill him and he says about his friend Anna "she wants me to meet her at the grill tonight." and Damon says "perfect. I'll drive" as he stands Jeremy asks "Jackie you wanna come?" I smile up to him and say "sounds like a plan" and the three of us walk to Damon's car.

We get to the grill and Damon goes straight for the bar, Jeremy and I starting a game of pool. After a little while a fragile, pretty looking girl walks up to us and says to Jeremy "I knew you couldn't live without me" he smiles and says "what can I say, I missed my daily dose of cute starker chick. Anna this is Jackie, Jackie, Anna." I smile and say "hey, so you wanna play some pool." she smiles back to me and says "sure" and she takes a cue from the stand.

After a little while we leave the grill and drop Jeremy off at home, then go after Anna, he makes me wait in the car. I'm a bit upset that she may be on the other side of the fence, I like Anna she has a sense of humour and she's fun, shame really. After a few minutes he comes back and says "looks like we're going grave robbing, angel, but on the plus side you'll get to meet my father." we drive to the woods and when we stop Damon gets out and picks me up, then runs at vampire speed to his fathers grave. When we get there he places me down gently and I stand to see the fire lights, an open grave, Stefan and Elena. I hear Damon say "well, what do ya know? This is an interesting turn of events" Stefan and Elena turn to us and Stefan says "I cant let you brig her back. I'm sorry" and Damon replies "so am I, for thinking for a second that I could trust you" my eyes lock with Elena but she turns away, unable to hold my hurt gaze as I realize their betrayal. Stefan scoffs and says "you are not capable of trust. The fact that you're here, means that you read the journal and you were planning on doing this yourself." Damon raises he arms slightly and says "of course I was, because the only person beside myself I can count on is standing next to me." I look to Elena and say "I trusted you, I told Damon he could trust you and you turned me into a liar. I thought you were my friend." Elena takes a step forward and says "I am your friend, I'm so sorry" my glazed over eyes leave hers for fear of a flood.

I can her the anger in Damon's voice as he asks "so what are you going to do now? Because if you try and destroy that I'll rip her heart out." and Stefan states confidently "you wont hurt her" and at vampire speed he's holding Elena and biting his wrist, forcing his blood down her throat. Damon bargains "give me the book or I'll snap her neck and you and I will have a vampire girlfriend." and I can see Stefan's fear from behind as he says "you can have it when she's standing next to me" and Damon scoffs "the problem is that I no longer trust that you'll give it back" and I can hear his sobs as he says "you just did the one thing that insures that I will" and Damon looks to me as Stefan puts the book on the ground, I can see in his eyes he's considering turning her anyway, out of spite, and I shake my head lightly in protest, unseen by Stefan but witness by Elena. Damon turns to her and whispers something in her ear before he gently lets her go. She runs to Stefan and as he guides her away she takes a sorrow filled look to me, tears in both our eyes. Damon picks up the book and then comes to me, embracing me lovingly and says "forget about _her_, you'll _always_ have me" I smile as we walk in comfortable silence back to the car, then drive home. I sit in my room crying listening to my music and reject the seventh call that reads _'Elena' _my heart heavy as exhaustion takes me, so heavy I just barely see the sad face of a shadow leaning in my door way, _my_ monster keeping the other _monsters_ at bay, the one's long _dead_ and only _I_ can see, the monster of the _past_ that haunts my dreams.


	4. Always be Here

After eating breakfast alone I go to find Damon in the library, were he said he's be, but instead I see Stefan on the phone, I stay just out of site, not wanting to talk to him right now. I hear Stefan say "Elena are you alright?" Damon stands at the other entrance behind Stefan as I listen to the last of the conversation. When he hangs up he turns to Damon who says "go ahead, grovel again. Oh wait no, I don't care." I walk back the way I came and go after Damon, I take his arm and say "what's going on?" he looks down to me and says "Elena went and got herself kidnapped by your friend Anna. She wants her mother out of the tomb." I look to him and say "can you help her?" and he says angrily, already knowing who I mean, "why would I want to? She betrayed us, or do you not remember last night when you cried yourself to sleep, because I do." I look up to him and beg "please Damon, she fucked up, and I'm pissed at her to but she's still my friend, if you can help her do it" I see his hesitation as he looks down to me and I ask "for me?" he sighs and surrenders "fine, I'll tell Stefan we're they are and I'll meet with Anna" I hug him in thanks and then leave to get dressed.

After Damon gives Stefan the address, he speeds away to get them and I walk to Damon in my blue jeans, black tank top and grey cardigan and say "thank you" he smiles and walks over to me, places a small kiss on my head and says "your welcome" then leaves to study the grimoire. About an hour later I walk into the library to see Elena and Damon talking, Damon picks up Elena's necklace from the table and puts back on her and says "I didn't compel you in Atlanta because we were having fun and I wanted it to be real, I wanted Jackie to have a real friend, besides me." and he pulls away serious "I'm trusting you. don't make me regret it, because if you hurt her again, I will kill you." and as he walks away she asks "why did you tell Stefan where we were?" without looking back, but stopping momentarily, he answered "because she asked me to." and then leaves the room.

Elena turns to leave but stops when she sees me, and then walks over and says "Jackie, I'm sorry I hurt you, I never meant to, I was just protecting…" I raise my hand to stop her and say with a small smile "it's ok, I get it. I forgive you" she looks at me hopefully and asks "really?" I nod and say "yeah, really. You were protecting your own, cant say I wouldn't have done the same." she smiles and hugs me tightly and says "we're getting Katharine out, tonight" I sign and say "ok, well, we best get ready" and Elena and I go to the church with Damon.

On are way to meet Bonnie, her grandmother and Stefan, Damon, Elena and I walk through the party that Jeremy had invited me to earlier with Anna, but I said Damon and I made plans already, and we bump into Caroline and some guy. Caroline takes his hand, clearly for Damon's benefit, and says "Elena, Jackie oh my god where have you been?" and Damon smirks "long story, no time to tell it" and she glares back "I wasn't taking to you" I look to the boy and say politely "hay, am Jackie." he smiles and says "Matt." then turns to Damon and says "we haven't met, am Matt" and Damon says coldly "Matt, there's a reason we haven't met" and then puts the grimoire under his arm, and grabs my hand gently and Elena's forearm and says "we're going this way" and pulls us along, Elena says regretfully "am sorry you guys" as I smile and say warmly "got'a go, see you later" and rush to catch up with Damon's pull.

As we walk through the woods Damon lets go of Elena's arm to grab the slipping book but keeps his loyal grip on my hand. As we get to the church he lets go and greets the others "brother, witch's" I walk with Elena and say "hey Bonnie, so you're a witch. that's pretty cool" she smiles kindly and I turn to her grandmother and offer my hand "hi, am Jackie." she takes it and says "nice to meet you, I'm Sheila, Bonnie's grams" she smiles a refection of Bonnie's smile. Damon comes over and guides me down the steps to the tomb, once at the bottom Shelia and Bonnie prepare for the spell. As they do so Damon says to Stefan "admit it, you cant wait to get rid of me" and Stefan smiles and admits "I cant wait the get rid of you, but Jackie, you I'll miss." I smile over to him.

I take Damon's hand as they begin to chant in a language unknown to me, his other hand gripping the blood bag, as the door opens Stefan goes to get the gas to burn the other vampires. Damon turns to Elena and asks "you ready?" we all look to him confused as he lets go of my hand and grabs Elena, looking at the two witch's he says "you think and going to go in by myself so you can seal me in?" and Shelia warns "don't you take her in. I'll bring the walls down" he smirks knowingly and say "you'll bring them down if I don't" and Elena interjects "enough, he needs leverage, he needs to know your not going to shut the door when he gets inside, I get it. I'll go" I take a hold of his arm and question "why don't you just take me?" he lets go of Elena and cups my cheek "because I need you safe, an in there are vampires that haven't fed for over a hundred years. I'm not risking you." I nod at his compassion and look to Elena than back and say "she's my friend, you know what that means" he nods and says "don't worry, I promise not to let her become anyone's breakfast." I smile as he takes one of the torches and leads the way for him and Elena.

As I wait for Damon and Elena I see Anna come down the stairs and Bonnie says "your not going in there" and Anna warns "you think you can stop me?" but before anything more can be done Shelia says Bonnie's name, a hidden warning to back off. As Anna approaches the entrance I say "Anna wait!" and she turns slightly, I bend down to pick up a flashlight and hand it to her "this might help you find your mom faster" she takes the light from me and says "thanks" then goes into the tomb. Bonnie turns to her grandmother and questions "why did you let her go in?" and she answers "because she isn't coming out baby, none of them are." anger and confusion fills me as I ask "what? What are you talking about?" Shelia turns to me and says "we opened the door but the seals still up, the seal that keeps the vampires in" I look to her in hatred and say "you bitch! Damon's in there!" as I take a torch and go to run inside Bonnie grabs my hand and says "Jackie don't! there's nothing you can do" I pull my hand away and say "he gave a fourteen year old girl, covered in cuts and bruises by the people meant to protect her, all alone in the world, a reason to live… and you think I'm going to let that reason rot in some tomb. I'd rather die in his arms, than live in a world without him. Get that seal down or I'll never forgive you." and run into the tomb.

As I search the tomb I stumble across Anna and Elena, Anna kneeling to tend to a woman, her mother I guess. I interrupt and say "Anna, Elena" they look to me and I carry on "Elena go. I'll be fine, just go" she gives me a worried look "RUN" I shout and she dose. I look back to Anna and say "that your mother?" she nods and I fold up my sleeve and say "I'm guessing she needs some blood to get going. Just make sure she doesn't kill me" she looks at me confused and says "you'd give her your blood? Why?" I offer her my wrist and say "because I don't want to be your enemy Anna, I'm hoping we can be friends" and she smile to me genuinely and says "thank you. This is goanna hurt" then takes my wrist and bites it carefully, not to deep, and I bite my lip to hold back a scream of pain. I bend down and we both help her mother as she swallows my blood eagerly. After a moment, Anna pulls her mother from me, I cover the bleeding on my wrist and hear her mother say "Anna, Anna" I smile as she holds her and says "mama" I bent down to them and say "let me help you" as I help her up she turns to me with grateful eyes and says "thank you" I smile and tell them "you should go, quickly" and Anna asks "what about you?" I smile happily at her concern and say "I need to find Damon. You go, take care of your mother." they nod to me and walk away.

As I search for Damon I hear him scream "SHE'S NOT HERE!" and I follow the voice, I stop as I see him and say "Damon!" happy to know of his safety, then Elena appears and says "guys we got'a go" and we all run to the entrance. Once outside, the two witch's stop chanting and Damon looks to the door. I take his hand, but he uses it to pull me closer into a hug as he sobs lightly so only I can hear. I pull him close and say "am sorry baby, am so sorry" he wipes his eyes on my shoulder before revealing his face. I turn to Elena and say worried "Jeremy?" and we rush upstairs to make sure he's ok. I look back at Damon and he gives me an upward nod to say 'go' I smile sadly and go to check on my friend. After making sure Jeremy is ok I go back to Damon, who's now above ground, and he takes my hand and says "lets go get some answers" he picks me up and runs to Anna's hotel. Once inside he places me on the bed closest to the door and says sternly "stay on the bed" and turns of the light, taking the seat in the corner.

A few minutes pass and then the door opens and the lights are on. I stay still as Damon states to Anna "you knew Katharine wasn't in there" and she says honestly "you wouldn't't have helped me" then he blurs over the her mother, her throat in his hand and asks "why do you get a happy ending?" I stand and rush to him and try to pry his arm away as Anna begs and her mother explains that Katharine turned the church guard in return for her freedom. I look Damon in the eyes and say calmly "Damon don't do this, you would've done the same. Let her go" and he dose, his eyes glazed over and Anna holds her mother and tells him "last I saw her, was Chicago, 1983, she knew where you where Damon. She didn't care. Am sorry" I put my hand on his shoulder and he turns to me and says "call Stefan to came take you home. I need some time." I nod and watch him walk away. When he's out of the room I say "do you have a phone I could borrow, I left mine at home" Anna sits her mother down and pulls out her mobile.

After I make the call, I sit on the bed next to Anna's mother, Anna having gone to get her mother some blood and clothes, and say "am Jackie, by the way" she smiles warmly to me and says "Pearl. Why did you help us, when Damon is your priority?" I smile and explain "I've met Anna a few times and I'd like us to be friends. She really loves you." she looks to me and says "you seem surprised" I give her a sad expression and say "sorry, its just that I never really had a mother to love, the birth one left me and the other one died when I was young, leaving me with Nathan, my adoptive dad, he used me as a human bunching bag and his brother, god, that man was sick. He used to sneak into my room at night and he'd…, god, if it weren't't for Damon I'd probably still be… am sorry, I cant believe I just said all that." she reaches over and takes my hand and says kindly "it's alright, I don't mind" just then Stefan came bursting in and said "Jackie you alright?" realizing I'd been crying, I wipe at my eyes and stand "am fine Stefan, we were just having a chat." I turn to Pearl and bend to give her a hug and I say "thank you" I stand to leave and she stands to and takes my hand "no, thank you, if you need anything, know that I am here." we smile warmly to each other and I say "goodnight Pearl, take care. Tell Anna I'll see her around." she nods to me, as Stefan and I leave.

Once out of the room Stefan asks "what was that?" I smile and reassure him "nothing for you to worry about, but Damon is. After you drop me off at home can you go look for him? I'm worried." he nods his head and raise me home. After he leaves to get Damon I go to Damon's room instead of my own, and lay on his bed. I kick off my sneakers and hug his pillow to me. I don't know how long I've lain there, but a quite bang of the front door pulls me from my trance. I stand up and run down stairs to find Damon sitting in front of the fire, staring mournfully into the flames. I walk to him and say "mind if I sit?" he doesn't look at me but shakes his head lightly from side to side, so I take a seat next to him. After a few minutes he says "she never loved me. All this time, everything I've done, and she never even cared." I take his hand in mine and repeat his words to me "_forget_ about _her_, you'll _always_ have _me_." the corner of his mouth lifts slightly as his grip on my hand tightens ever so much and he pulls me into him holding me, as if afraid I might disappear if he lets go. I rap my arms around him, a silent promise that I'll never leave.


	5. My Monster, His Angel

I walk through Mystic Fall's on my way home. I snuck out this morning just to get some peace and quite. Luckily I was able to slip out without being noticed by Damon or his groupies. He's driving me crazy! I know he's hurting and coping the only way he knows how, but dose he have to do it so early? As I get home I see some girls dancing around, Damon in the middle, he sees me, brakes free from the crowd and shouts "JACKIE! There she is, my Jackie. Come have a dance." he takes my hand and I say "Damon am real tired, can we not." he turns back and says "what's up Angel?" I frown sadly and say truthfully "you are. I know your hurting Damon, but I cant take this. This isn't you" he looks down at me confused and I continue "I'll be up stares, do me a favour and keep it down." I pace away upset.

I sit in my room after my little tantrum with Damon, when my phone rings. I answer quickly after reading the id, "hey Elena" I greet and she says "I have something to tell you. my birth mother might be Mr Saltzman's dead wife" I gasp and say "oh my god, are you ok?" I hear her shaky breath as she says "am ok, just a bit freaked out I guess. Hay are you coming to the action tonight" I sit back on my bed and answer "I'm not sure, I'll let you know" and she breaths "ok well, we'll talk later" I sit back then see a shadow appear in my door way. Its been two hours, since I saw him down stairs. Damon stumbles into my room and says "your mad." I cross my arms, stand and say sarcastically "you think?" he walks over to me, his god like chest bare, and says "your mad because I'm coping?" I yell back "I'm mad because your acting like a teenage frat boy and it's getting out of hand" I turn and walk to my book shelf, placing the book I'd been reading back in its place, but when I turn around Damon's standing right in front of me. Making me jump back into the wall.

He looks down at me, the anger clear in his eyes and says, alcohol breathed "I'm coping with the fact that I spent 145 years of my life in love and trying to save a woman who didn't give a rats ass about me, and your pissed because I'm having a few party's" I look at him sternly and say "I just want you to get over this and be Damon again." he looks at me confused and I continue in a broken voice "do have any idea how hard this is, for you to be in this much pain and to have to go out and get hammered, fuck and drain to make yourself feel better, then come back and ignore me until it suites you. I'm not a doll Damon." coldly he says "sure you are. Just like those other girls" tears drowning my eyes flood over as he says "your just another blood bag to help me pass the time." then stumbles away. As he leaves I slump to the floor tears stinging my face and my throat bitterly dry.

I sit there until I hear the front door close and the voices disappear. I stand on shaky legs and run to the wardrobe, pulling my suitcase from the top and grabbing my clothes, shoving them into the case quickly. With all my things inside I pick up my case and head for the door, but stop at my mirror, I see that I'm still crying but didn't realize it before. I take a look at my locket and caress it gently, I open the angel heart wings to reveal a picture of Damon and a younger version of myself, both smilling brightly. On the back of the angel wings there are engravings that read "Angel don't forget, Your Monster will protect you" I cry harder as I read these words and quickly undo the chain and throw it on the bed. Leaving the house quickly, I take the long walk to the only place I can go.

I stop outside the Gilbert house and ring the bell, but nobody's home, I reach for my phone but realize I'd left it at the barding house. My legs give out from exhortation and I fall the floor crying.

I sit there for just over an hour until a car pulls up Jenna and Elena run out of the car as I see them I stand, shaking as they run to me and Elena says "Jackie? What's happened?" I start to cry again as I sob and throw my arms around her "oh god Elena, the things he said to me, I cant stay there. This was the first place I could think of." both concerned and confused, Jenna asks "who? Damon?" I nod fiercely as I cry "please help me." they user me inside kindly. When we get upstairs I tell Elena what happened and she tells me about the new revelations of her mother and we hold each other and cry, after she makes the call to Isobel.

After some time we cry ourselves into a slumber and I dream of Damon, of the night we met.

_-2006-_

_I sit on the swing of the local park, in my princess pyjamas, red coat and pink sneakers, my pink backpack straps hugging the candy filled bag to me and holding a blue rabbit teddy, named Mr Floppsy, in my arms as I kick the ground. It's late, around 2am, I didn't really think this whole running away thing through. I hear a noise from the pathway round the corner and stand to investigate. _

_I hold Mr Floppsy to me tightly, as I turn the corner to see a man with black blood eyes, large veins beneath them and his blood stained fangs and mouth. A pail, obviously dead, blonde at his feet. He sees me, looks straight into my eyes as I shrug and turn back to the swing._

_Just as I sit he appears in front of me, his face normal and his eyes lightning blue, he asks "why didn't you run?" I shrug and say "so you're a monster, big deal, I know monsters way worse than you." he cocks as eyebrow and questions "oh, do you now?" annoyed I say "I'm 14, alone in a park at two in the morning with cracked ribs, a split lip and my virginity missing. You think you scare me? If your going to kill me, then kill me." he takes a seat on the swing next to me and says "I don't hurt kids. Who are these monsters? That hurt you?" I stare up at the stars and say "Nathan, my adoptive dad, gave me the lip and ribs. His brother, Michel stole my virginity when I was twelve. Sick bastard." he sighs. We sit there for hours, just talking, about our favourite colour to are crappy lives. When the sun starts to rise he says "hay angel, why don't we go get your stuff and you come with me, get outta this dump. we could use a friend" I look at him and think for a moment then ask, seriously "will you kill Nathan and Michel for me? Before we leave?" he nods and says happily "with pleasure" I take his hand and we head back to my house for the last time._

_-_Present Day-

I wake with a small jolt, it's light out, and my heart hurts. I suppress my tears and ready myself for school. I simply drift through the day, barely speaking to anyone. I walk with Elena, Caroline and Matt to my locker, but when I open it there stands a large vase of scarlet rose's, an envelope perched in front of them with my name written neatly on it. Caroline bends into me and says "oh my god, their beautiful who are they from?" I open the strangle heavy envelope, pull out the letter inside and read aloud "Dear Angel, I'm so so sorry. I was drunk, angry and upset, I had no right to take that out on you, but I did. Words cant express how much I hate myself right now. You're the most important person in the world to me, please come home. I'm sorry. Eternally your Monster - Damon ps you forgot something." I smile as I empty the envelope to reveal my open locket, and put it the cold silver around my neck, closing latch. I put the letter in my pocket, and take a rose from the bunch, placing it in my hair, a sign to his , undutiful, watching eyes that he's forgivin.


	6. Let Her Go!

I sit through my lesson's a bit more aware lately, I'm still at Elena's, I cant go home, not yet. After school Elena, Stefan, Caroline and Matt have a double date, and I have last period free, so I asked Jeremy if he'd walk with me, knowing he had gym and skipped anyway. We arrange to meet up at the benches by the oak tree. As I sit waiting for him, Damon appears in front of me, a large blue rabbit teddy in his arms. He smiles a sorrowful smile and asks "did you get the rose's?" I nod slightly and answer "yes, Scarlet Carson's, my favourite. Thank you their beautiful." he looks at the ground and says "you haven't come home yet" I nod and say "I need some time Damon. You hurt me, you really, really hurt me and I need some healing time. Forgiving you is one thing, but getting over its another. I cant come back right now, I just cant, not with you still hanging on to her. By hanging on to _her_, your hurting the people who _really_ care about you." he smiles sadly and say "_you're_ the _only_ person who _cares_ about _me_." then Jeremy walks to us, threw the small crowd that's gathered to see what's going on. He smiles to me sympathetically, knowing about the situation and says "Jackie we should go" I nod and look to Damon, his eyes remorseful as he pushes the rabbet to me and says "I tired to find one like you had when we met, Mr Floppsy. Take it, I wont push anymore, I promise" I take the rabbet and turn to walk with Jeremy.

I go home and get changed, Jeremy and I are meeting at the grill, and I take forever to get ready, what with the runny mascara. As I walk to try and catch Jeremy up I see Anna, Pearl and Jenna go into the Gilbert building. I walk over and inside, they turn at hearing the door and all smile at seeing me "Jackie? Hay it's grate to see you." I skip over and hug Anna and reply "you to Anna, we haven't hung out in forever" I take a step over to Pearl and give her a tight hug "Pearl, I've missed you" she smiles down to me and says "and I have missed you. I heard that you moved from the Salvarote's, everything ok with Damon?" I nod sadly and say "yeah, he just got upset over this whole Katharine thing and said some stuff. I'm just in need of healing time right now is all." she smiles to me, the way she did the night of the tomb and says "as long as your alright. You know where to find me if you need someone to talk to." I give a genuine smile and mutter "I know. I should go am meeting Jeremy at the grill. I'll see you later." I wave them off and walk to the grill with a smile. I don't know why, but I feel safe with Pearl, like I can talk to her about anything and know that its ok to cry, I assume this is how Anna feels, how it feels to have a mother.

As I get to the grill I smile over at Elena and everyone, but walk in an other direction, towards Jeremy. We sit and eat and laugh, he tells me about his theory on vampires, that there misunderstood and I agree. I want to tell him more, but know it's not my place. I see Elena and Caroline heading for the restroom and follow quickly. I grab Elena's arm just before she gets to the bathroom door and as she turns I blurt "you should tell Jeremy the truth" she looks at me wide eyes in shock and says "what are you talking about? Jeremy doesn't need to know anything. It's safer for him not to know" I cross my arms and say "why are you being such a hypocrite? When Stefan lies to protect you, your all 'lies never solve anything, I deserve to truth', well so dose Jeremy. Think about it Elena, because I know that when you lie to the people you care about you end up hurting them ten times more. He deserves more." with that I walk away, back to where Jeremy is, when I hear laughter. I turn to the bar and see Damon talking and drinking with Jenna and Kelly, Matt's mom.

Jeremy comes behind me and says "come on lets get outer here" Damon must of heard because in the moment we turn I hear rushed footsteps and my name "Jackie!" I stop tears in my eyes and turn with anger and yell "you couldn't do it could you? couldn't let her go?" the entire grill is staring at us now, in silence. He looks away and mutters my name and I shout "she left you Damon! She abandoned you, I know you must be hurting but don't you see, that when you act like this, cold, drunk, heartless thing that it hurts me. It hurts to see my best friend, the man who saved me from years of abusive, who showed me how to laugh, how not to be afraid, tear himself apart for someone so beneath him. So just…stop! Please, just stop acting like this and be Damon again, because this man, I'm looking at now, I don't know him and I don't want to. This is the man that made me leave, this is the man that said those thing to me. Your destroying yourself Damon, and you killing me along the way" with that I leave the silent restaurant, in tears, with Jeremy. Not bothering to look back.

When we get back to the Gilbert's I just get changed and head for the guest room I've been staying in. I turn out the light and crawl under the covers, clinging to the new Mr Floppsy. I cry for what seems like forever when a light tapping at the window. I turn on the light to see Pearl sitting outside my window and run to open it. I invite her inside quickly and she says "I heard what happened, my poor dear" I cry hard as she holds me. We sit there for a while in comfortable silence. I look up at her and say "thank you" she smiles down to me and says "it's alright. Give him a moment to realize that you mean more to him than Katharine and then you'll be together again" I smile up at her as I wipe my eyes and say "your so kind to me Pearl, like the mother I never had." she lifts my chin gentility and says "I wouldn't mind another daughter" I hug her tightly until I fall asleep, Pearl humming a old lullaby in my ear as I drift to sleep.

I wake up hours later, with Pearl gone, I hear chatter coming from down stairs, Elena and Jeremy, she's taking my advice, telling him the truth. I stand at hearing Jeremy's bedroom door close and go down stairs for a drink. I get to the kitchen and see Elena sitting at the island table. I walk to the frig and ask "how'd the double dating go?" she smiled at me and said "fine, after you screaming at Damon we went back to the boarding house. The boys talked cars and then we watched a movie. Stefan dropped me off before…I told Jeremy." I turn to her with my glass of lemonade and say "good, just give him time to digest." she nods in agreement and says "Damon left after you did, he seamed really broken up." I sigh and say bitterly "so he should be. Am going back to bed, night Elena." I walk back up stairs quickly with my lemonade.

As I reach my room, I close the door behind me and turn on the light. When I turn back I jump and almost drop my glass, I see Damon sitting on the bed facing away from me. I place the glass down on the bedside table and stand with my arms crossed and ask "Damon?" he turns to me the tears clear on his sad face and says "come back. Please Jackie. You were right. I don't want her anymore, she betrayed me, used me. She means nothing to me now, except the face that if I ever see her again I'll kill her. If not for what she did to me, then for what she made me do to you. You're my best friend. The only person who thinks I'm worth saving, the only person who _loves_ me. Come home, I'll make this right, please, I need you." as he finishes speaking he blurs over to me and is keeling in front of me, clinging to my middle.

I gasp lightly, having only ever seen him cry once before, the night of the tomb, as I put my hands in his hair and kneel down to him, pulling him close. I take is face in my hands and our eyes meet "it's ok, I'm here, I've always been here and I always will be." he rests his forehead against my own and smiles lightly, then picks me up and places me on my side on the bed, so we face each other as he's holding me lovingly, caressing my cheek with his fingertips, his other arm rapped around me, meeting the hand resting on my hip and holding it gently. He places a small kiss on my cheek as I smile and my eyes close, knowing that come tomorrow, I'll wake up like this, with him holding me and suddenly the world seems right again, because I have _my_ Damon back.


	7. Home Coming

The next day I pack my things and get ready to leave for home. I see Jeremy on the landing and he looks to me and says "thanks, for getting Elena to tell me the truth" I nod and say "look Jer, I know you must be really pissed at her right now and you have every right to be, but put yourself in her shoes. You saw the pain that losing your parents caused and then you lose someone else that you care about, if you thought for one moment that you could take that pain away, would you? I know I would." he looks away in thought then helps me take my bags to Elena's car before the rain comes down to hard.

As Elena and I get the boarding house Damon runs outside, lifting me as he did in Georgia and running me and my things into the house. We sit in the living room as Damon seals up the broken window and suggests "I say we go to Pearls and annihilate the idiot who attacked us last night." and then Stefan snarl's "then what? Turn to the rest of the house of vampires and say 'whoops, sorry'" in a pissed off tone Elena says "I cant believe you made a deal with her." and Damon explains "it was more of a helpful exchange of information. It's not like I've got a choice, she's…scary" from my seat on the couch I shrug "she's nice to me" they all turn to me in disbelief and I stand and say in my defence "well she is! Look I'm meeting Pearl and Anna at the grill, so do me a favour, don't get yourselves killed." I give Elena and Stefan a quick hug each then a longer one for Damon with a kiss on the cheek then leave knowing he can hear my rapid heartbeat.

As I walk into the grill I see Anna and Jeremy, I go over to them and say "hey guys" I take a seat next to Anna as she says "so you got Elena to tell him" I nod and say "yep. It's better this way, hiding things from loved ones never ends well. Besides now I don't have to act like I don't know anything and feel all guilty." they smile to me. After a while Pearl walks in and Anna stands and goes to her, I bend down and get my bag then give Jeremy a hug and walk over to Anna and Pearl. They smile to me as we turn to look for a table when Mayor Lockwood comes up to us and invites us to join him, on hearing his name Pearl agrees.

We eat in mostly silence Anna and I speaking about nothing important and texting Jeremy, as Pearl and Lockwood talk politics and town events, Tyler playing pool. I turn to Pearl and ask "Pearl could Anna and I be excused, we'd like to play darts." she smiles warmly to me and says "of course dear" I smile back as we stand and I hear Lockwood say as we leave "your girls have such manners, a rear trait nowadays, but why did your daughter call you Pearl?" as we reach the dartboard I hear her answer "Jackie is kind of my adoptive daughter" I smile at her word then notice that Anna and Jeremy have been texting as we start to play, then she leaves to go the bathroom, Pearl following her. Tyler walks up to me and says "hey, I've seen you around school, you live with the Salvatore's right?" I nod and say "that's right" he leans in closer and says "so tell me, how did you get mean, badass Damon Salvatore to be the nice guy who brought you a teddy to school?" I smile sweetly at his flirting and say "Damon would do _anything_ for me, I'm his Angel" my smile fades into a glare of warning "he's very, _very_ protective of what's _his_." with a hint of fear he backs off. I see Anna and Pearl come out of the bathroom and they walk over and say goodbye to Lockwood then turn to me "Jackie, we must meet for lunch soon. Be careful" I smile and hug them both and then my phone chimes twice, telling me I have a message, I open it and read -tomb vamps got Stefan, meet at da schul x be careful x Damon- I wave goodbye to Jeremy and leave quickly.

I get to the school at head for Mr Saltzman's class. As I enter they turn to me, Damon runs to me and hold me tightly saying "thank god your ok" I pull away lightly and ask "why wouldn't I be?" he cups my face in his hands and says "they want revenge, that means that they'll go after the ones we care about, I wont lose you." I nod lightly and hold his hand to my face, leaning into his touch and kissing his palm. We turn to Alaric and Elena, as Elena says "I'm coming with you" Damon turns to her and says "I told you, you can drive the getaway car, after you get Jackie home." I walk over to them and demand "why cant I help?" he looks to me and says "didn't you hear what I just said? I wont lose you" Elena and I stand side by side arms crossed and he sign "fine but you stay in the car!" Alaric looks shocked and confused as Damon takes my hand and leads me to the car.

I wait in the car with Elena, looking at the house when a branch hit's the window and we jump "shit!" I shout, then see Elena with a vervain dart, but before I can ask what she's doing she gets out of the car and runs to the house, I have no choice but to follow. We sneak quickly onto the porch and then down to the cellar, Elena breaks the cellar door window and as we round the corner slowly the vampire on guard spots her, but fortunately Damon gets him from a passage way with a vervain dart. He turns to us and says "are you insane? I told you to wait in the car" I motion to Elena and he looks to me in understanding. As we walk through the cellar we open a door to find a tied up Stefan and another vampire, as Elena helps untie Stefan Damon pulls out a stake and goes for the other vamp when Stefan says "no! not him! He tired to help me" and then he goes to help free Stefan. I walk to the other vampire and untie him then move to get the stakes out, I look up to him and say "thanks for trying, am Jackie, am a friend of Pearl and Anna's" he smiles and says "Harper. You know Miss Pearl and Miss Anna?" I nod as Damon pulls me up and says "no time for chit chat, got'a go" as we leave I wave and say "Bye Harper" as we leave Damon says "you two get him in the car. You rescue, I'll distract" he then goes upstairs as we help Stefan to the car.

As we reach the car the keys are missing and then Stefan is being pulled from the car window and attacked by a vampire, I quickly grab the vervain dart Elena had in her pocket and run to the vamp as he says "this is for Beth Anne" he stabs him in the stomach just as I stab him in the head with the vervain dart. As he drops to the floor Elena and I go Stefan but she insists he bite her, to save himself. After he drinks he tells us to hind behind a large tree, as we wait we hear the fight and look round to see Stefan killing the vampire, staking him repeatedly. Elena goes to him and after a moment he calms. Just then Damon and Alaric walk down from the house I run to him and rap my arms and legs around him as he holds me effortlessly I begin to sob "what took you so long? I was worried." I says soothingly "am sorry, am here, am right here Angel" I look over his shoulder at Alaric who looks at us in wonder, the wonder of how a monster could feel for a simple human, the wonder that the monster who turned his wife had a human sid, but mostly the wonder of how I could know what he is, what he's done and run to him instead of away.

We drive back to the boarding house, Elena and Damon on each side of me in the back, Stefan in the passenger and Alaric driving. On the way my phone rings and I answer "hey Jer" I can hear his sorrowful sigh and say "what's wrong?" he says blankly "they found Vicky's body. What do I do? How do I act like I didn't know she was dead?" I nuzzle into Damon and say "just do what they do, _grieve_" he gives me his thanks and hangs up. As he dose I announce "they found Matt's sister" and worried glances are exchanged.

When we get to the boarding house, after dropping Stefan and Elena at Matt's, Damon pours himself and Alaric a drink, I walk into the kitchen to get a soda. As I walk back into the living room I stop out of sight as I hear Damon say "don't look at me like that. I know you hate me. Guess what everyone hates me" Alaric looks at him and says "she doesn't… Jackie. Why?" Damon take a sip of his drink and says "I don't know, coz she's a better person then everyone else, because she's to kind for her own good. Take your pick" Alaric puts down his glass and says "you don't deserve her" taking another sip of his drink he says "I know" suddenly Alaric punches him and says "had to get that out of my system" Damon stands and say "I get that, after all I did turn your wife so…" with that I walk into the room and say with a smile "hey boys, am goanna hit the sack. It's been a really long day." I walk over to Alaric, giving him an unexpected hug and then look up to him and say with a grateful smile "thank you" he nods to me happily and then I walk over to Damon, his drink now on the table, his arms open wide, with a smirk plastered on his face. I give him a long, tight hug then pull away and give him a small peck on the lips, letting go he says "night Angel" I smile and turn to the stairs, shouting back "night Monster" I can hear his chuckle as I climb up to my room and a short while later, as I lay in my bed, I feel his arms snake around me and he whispers "sweet dreams" I smile lazily and drift to blissful, dreamless sleep.


	8. Uncle John

I wake up late and head down stairs to find Stefan doing all these exercise's and as I leave I go to Damon and say "he's freaking me out with all the exercise crap, fix it" he hands me by bag and smirks "your wish is my command" I smile and give him a kiss on the cheek and quickly leave for Elena's. As I get there a man is standing at the door, I walk over just as it open's to see Jenna and Elena. I stand by him and say "hey guys" to Elena and Jenna, then Elena says "hey, Jackie this is my uncle John, John this is my friend Jackie." I turn to him with a smile and a small wave, but as he looks at me his face turns shocked and confused. I turn away from him as I hear Jeremy coming down the stairs and say "hey Jer, how you dealing?" he says hi to his uncle and then looks to me with a sad smile and says "ok." then walks out. I turn to Elena and Jenna who ask "how's everything since you moved back home?" I smile warmly to her and say "grate actually, Damon and I talked everything out, so alls good again. Thanks by the way, for letting me stay here during the fight, I really appreciate it." with the fan of the air and a smile she says "don't mention it, your welcome anytime" I smile to her then look to see John staring at me, looking me over to check I'm really there or something and I fidget under his gaze, as Elena pulls me away, not wanting to be late.

The next day, I wake up late and there's a note on my desk, -_Angel, went to Elena's for girl talk, laid out your stuff for the party. Go make yourself pretty x Damon- _I laugh to myself and walk over to my wardrobe to find a lovely cornflower blue party dress, which has a fitted elongated bodice with double straps, gathers just below the waist and has a full skirt, matching cute round toe courts, feature large double strap detail and small heals, hanging on and by the door. I place the dress on the bed and get a long bath. Once changed I tie my curled hair in a Greek style, pulled out of my face, braided and held up by a blue band, the back curls and my straight fringe hanging freely. My make up is light blue eye shadow and pail pink lip gloss. I smile as I look myself over and hear a noise from behind me, I turn to see a look of shock and amazement on Damon's face.

I smile to him and ask "what do you think?" he take a few steps closer and looks me up and down, meeting my eyes "you look beautiful" he says with a smile. He turns on his side, elbow extended and asks "shall we?" I walk over and link my arm through his, meeting Stefan at the car. As we get to the party Stefan says "oh god, I shouldn't be here" Damon pulls me inside and says "come on don't be such a downer. This is a party for the founding family's, that would be us. It would be rude to skip it." and Stefan stops at the entrance with us and says "you know, I liked you a whole lot better when you hated everyone." Damon shrugged and said "I still do, I just love that the _love_ me" I smack him lightly with my clutch bag and he looks to me and says "I don't mean you" I glare at him and point with my bag "you best not, mister" I look round and see Jeremy standing in a corner and say "I'm going to talk to my friends, you mingle and annoy someone I don't like" they laugh as Damon and I kiss cheeks and I walk over to Jeremy.

I reach Jeremy and say "hey dude" he looks me over and says "Jackie? Oh my god, what did they do to you?" I punch him in the arm playfully and say "shut up!" just then his uncle comes over and says "Jeremy and…Jackie? Right?" I smile lightly and say "yep, that's me" he looks me over and comments "you look stunning" I smile a bit brighter "thanks, I actually agree, I look fabulous" I say sarcastically with a flick of my hair and both men laugh. "I should go mingle, I was nice seeing you again Jackie" I smile as he leaves, and turn back to Jeremy with a frown and ask "is he always that creepy?" he looks over at John and answers "he's not usually _that_ creepy. Maybe he _likes_ you" I gag lightly and say in disgust "EeeWww! that's just plain _nasty!_" he laughs with me as we walk to go get a drink.

After a little while I see Elena and Stefan dancing and Jeremy asks "is Damon contagious? Because that is not the Stefan my sister is dating." I laugh and whisper "it's the human blood/alcohol in his system" he nods to me in understanding, having being told earlier what had happened. I look to the door to the veranda and see John go outside, having seen Damon go there a few minutes ago I turn to Jeremy and say "am just going to get some fresh air and talk to Damon, I've been a tad neglectful tonight." he smiles to me as I grab my bag and walk outside. As I reach the exit I see the two men standing close in conversation. I see the look in Damon's eyes that screams 'KILL' and smile as I say "there you are! I was starting to worry." as I walk over to them Damon smiles to me and says "no need to worry Angel, besides you were talking to your friend." he raps a arm around my waist as John looks at me with concern and Damon says "uncle John knows that I am. don't you uncle John?" the blond man looks me over and then says to Damon "compelling young girls? Talk about low." I glare to him and Damon's anger boils at his comment "I don't need to compel her. Jackie's known what I am from day one, in fact her locket was made with vervain." the man look down to me in disbelief, looking for any sign of objection or compulsion, as I gip Damon tighter "and suddenly this evening has gone right down hill" both men look to me as Damon say "Jackie, go back inside, talk and dance, have fun." I look up to him, fear and concern in my eyes and he says "don't worry so much, you'll give yourself wrinkles. Go on." I smile up to him gently and without a glance at John turn back to the party.

Once inside I walk back to Jeremy and take his drink from him and down it quickly, he looks to me in shock and ask "why cant you sneak alcohol at a party like normal kids?" he shrugs "who said I was normal?" I laugh with him as he asks "wanna dance?" I smile and say "god yes" and we walk to the dance floor, but I stop as I see Stefan kneeling in front of a bleeding Kelly Donovan. We walk over to them quickly, as Stefan touches her bleeding head, I look down at him "Stefan?" I say in a warning tone he looks up to me then says "I'm sorry" and leaves quickly. I turn to Jeremy and say "find Elena" and he goes without question. I bend down to tell and say "sorry about him, he's been drinking. Come on lets go get you cleaned up" I smile to her warmly and she smiles back. I help her up as we go to the bathroom to fix her make up and clean her cut.

After fixing Kelly, Mayor Lockwood goes to make his speech, as John starts speaking I see Damon and Alaric talking. After the speech's they both follow John outside and I follow them, slipping away from Jeremy quickly. As I reach them in the parking lot where the three men are standing as Damon goes face to face with John and asks "what do you want?" he smirks and says "so many questions" he then looks to me "I didn't think you'd be on there side. It was a pleasure meeting you Ric, Jackie" he looks at me in disappointment then leaves. Both men turn to me and Damon asks "what the hell was that?" I shrug with confusion "I have no idea, but he's been acting like I'm an old memory since I meet him at Elena's yesterday" Damon takes my hand and says "come on, we're going home" I nod and turn to Alaric "night Ric" the teacher nods to me as we walk to the car.

On the ride home I turn to Damon and ask "what's going on?" he looks to my worried and leans over to stoke my hair and says "I'm not sure, but I'll find out" he then turns back to the road, as silence engorges its self in the small car.


	9. Bad Stefan!

As I eat my breakfast Stefan walks in and says "hey you wanna ride to school?" I smile and say "sure, you coming back today?" he nods and says "yes, I feel better so I'm going back" I smile at his happiness and eat quickly to leave for school. When we get there everyone is looking at us, as Elena comes over I give her a hug and say "I'll give you two some love time. Thanks for ride Stef. see you guys in class." I leave the two love birds be and walk with a smile to History. As I get there I greet Alaric "Hey Ric, whoops, I mean Mr Saltzman" he smiles to me and says "take your seat Jackie" I smile to the other few students as I sit at my desk, the one behind Elena's, and wait for everyone else. Just as class begins Bonnie walks in and she smiles to Elena but shoots evils to Stefan and I.

After school I decide to walk home, not feeling to good and thinking that a walk and fresh air could help me and it dose. When I, finally, get home I go straight to my room, wanting to change and sleep. Damon comes in and over to me, saying "how was school?" I nod and say "fine, Stefan gave me a ride this morning." he take a step closer and asks "how was Saint Stefan today?" I shrug and say "happy, blood loving happy" I sit down on my bed "so you think he's drinking to?" he questions, I nod and say "that, and the face that after I broke my bowl this morning and went in search of a broom, I found a frig full of blood." he looks to me in shock and asks "and your only telling me this now" I shrug and say "you weren't here and I didn't have any credit to call you." he smiles to me softly and leaves to confront Stefan. After he's gone I change quickly and I'm asleep as soon as my head hit's the pillow.

The next few days are pretty quite, what with Elena and Caroline busy with the Miss Mystic Falls thing, Bonnie not speaking to me and Jeremy and Anna all over each other, but it's nice, just me and Damon, I've missed this. We shop, talk and sit in the his room watching movie's and eating ice-cream, just us.

I get dressed for the Miss Mystic Falls pageant in a knee length version of Scarlet O'Hara's green barbeque dress, minus the frilly collar. Part of my straight hair tied up in a dark green ribbon, my eyelids coated green and my lips a petal pink. After Damon and I arrive at the party I go to help Caroline and Elena get ready. After I finish Elena's hair I go down stairs and walk to Damon "tell Elena about Stefan, she needs to know" he looks at me and says "yeah your right. Why didn't you do it?" I look around and say "to many people and you can slip in, tell her and slip out" he nods and walks upstairs to find Elena. As I turn I bump straight into someone and start to apologise as I look up, but stop as I see who it is. John Gilbert. He looks down at me and says "you keep interesting company. How did you meet Damon?" I look up to him "you think he's some evil thing don't you?" he leans in to me and whispers "he's a monster and your just a toy to him" I smile at the word "he's _my_ monster" I say with pride, just then Alaric and Jenna appear "everything ok here?" Ric asks, I smile to them and say "everything fine Ric, I just think someone should put this dog on a leash, before he gets himself put down." Jenna looks at me with a smile, raises her glass and says "here, here" I laugh lightly and walk over to Jeremy and Anna, but stop and turn back to them "oh and John, your wrong. I'm his _Angel_, _you're_ the toy" I say as I caress my locket then walk to my friends.

As the girls start to descend down the staircase I stand next to Damon, Elena's the next to come down, but Stefan in nowhere to be see. As she comes down I nudge Damon "go, go!" I whisper. He makes his way through the crowd and takes Elena's hand, leading her outside for the dance. After they announce Caroline as Miss Mystic, Damon is called away but takes my hand and leads me to Elena after he gets back. He leans into us and whispers "there's signs of a struggle in the upstairs bathroom, there was blood and that Amber girls missing." Elena says is disbelief "he wouldn't hurt her" and Damon looks to us and says "lets just find him" and leads us outside.

We go looking for Stefan, Bonnie following us. When we get down the path we see and hear Amber's scream, as we get to him Damon push's Elena and I back and goes to him, trying to calm him down, but he just throws Damon into a far tree. I stand in shock as Stefan is suddenly gripping his head in pain, and it's clear that Bonnie is the one doing this. Suddenly he looks up in realization of what's happening, he takes one look at Elena's horrified face and runs into the wood.

After Damon compels Amber into forgetting he call's the sheriff, after a moment or to an ambulance and Sheriff Forbs arrive, they take to Amber and make sure she's ok, as I snuggle myself into Damon sheriff Forbs comes over "she doesn't remember what happened" holding me tightly he says "it's a good thing the girls got here when they did, she lost _a lot _of blood." the Sheriff looks between us and asks "you didn't see anything?" and I answer, in the best shaky voice I can must "no, no…we just found her there, and … called Damon. She looked so pail. I thought…" I cover my mouth and feel Damon hug my tighter in pride. Bonnie asks "is she going to be ok?" the sheriff nod and says "it looks like it, yeah. Why don't you girls go back to the party. Damon and I can take it from here" I look up to him and cups my face "go, I'll be fine. I've got the sheriff watching my back." I smile up to him slightly and hesitantly let him go. As Elena, Bonnie and I walk Bonnie basically says she doesn't want to be my friend anymore and drives off.

I go inside and see Jenna talking to John and walk up to her "hey Jenna, you and Ric wouldn't mind giving me a ride, would you? Damon's got some business with the sheriff to clean up so…" she smiles warmly to me and says "of cause not, but where about to leave" I nod and say "that's fine, I'm just going to say bye the Anna." John looks at me with another disappointed look and I ask "he's not in the same car right?" Jenna smiles and shakes her head lightly and I smirk "good, coz I don't like you" and with that walk over to Jeremy and Anna. They smile to me and I say "hey guys. Jeremy, Jenna and Ric are giving me a ride and they wanna go" he smiles and says "ok sure" I give Anna a hug and say "bye Anna, tell Pearl and Harper I said hi" she nods and then Jeremy goes in for a kiss and I say "eeeewww. I did not need to see that!" they laugh and Jeremy and I leave to meet with the others. On the drive to the boarding house I get a text from Damon _-get a vervain dart from Ric. Elena stabs Stefan, we lock him up till he's better. I wont hav u in danger x Damon-_ I show the message to Elena and Alaric, they both agree and as Ric helps my out of the car he slips me a vervain dart.

A little while after Elena and I get home I hear Damon's car and walk to open the door for him, but stop as I hear Pearls voice "there is no catch, my daughter and I want to stay here. You refuse to trust us and with good reason, consider this…an apology, for Jackie's sake, if nothing else." with that I open the door and see my three friends. I smile to them and walk out, giving Anna and Pearl a hug each before going back inside with Damon. Suddenly we hear something brake from upstairs and Damon looks to me and says "stay here" I nod, knowing the plan and wait. After a minute or so I see a large blur come dome the stairs and into the cellar, Elena following. I take her hand as we head down to see Damon locking the large metal door and she sits on the floor, releasing my hand, but I sit across from her, not wanting to leave her alone, as Damon take a seat next to me, his arms slung over my shoulders and I nuzzle into him as I take both his and Elena's hands.


	10. Blood Brothers Alternate Ending

***There's not much I can do with the Blood Brothers episode so I'm skipping it, just no that everything in that episode happened…except this….***

I sit in the grill as John torments Pearl, and I go over and say "you fucking evil bastard. Did you forget that Jeremy's read the journal to. He did love you Pearl and he hated himself for what he did so much that he killed himself. Jeremy told me. come on Pearl, lets go." as she stand I bend into John and say "stay away from my family, stay away from me and see a therapist, because you need help" I take Pearl arm and she drops me at the boarding house.

***Pearl and Harper live, nothing happens to them and they don't leave***

I head downstairs to get Elena and myself some soda's, but stop as I come from the kitchen and hear Stefan and Damon talking "I didn't want you to know, because I hated you, but not because you forced me into turning." I can see the confusion on Stefan's face as he asks "then why?" Damon stands "because she turned you. It was suppose to be me Stefan, Just me, but hay am over it, Katharine can rot in hell for all I care. And I guess I owe you thanks brother" face to face Stefan asks "what for?" and with his back to me Damon says "because if you hadn't forced me to turn, I'd never have met Jackie. I'd have never known what it's like to have someone who _truly_ cares and she'd probably be dead or worse right now if I hadn't come along, and the idea of that… hurts _so_ much _more_ than Katharine's betrayal. So… thanks" Stefan nods to him as Damon walks away and I go upstairs, a smile on my lips, because he took a moment and saw that he cared for _me…_ _more_ than _her_.


	11. Truth is Harder than Dare

As Elena, Stefan and I enter the busy cafeteria Alaric comes up to us and says "we need to talk" and we follow him to his classroom as we get inside he says "I saw Isobel last night" Elena stumbles into a seat and asks "what? Well…what did she want?" Stefan and I stand on each side of Elena "she said she'll go on a killing spree, unless she meets with you…and Jackie" I look up surprised and ask "me? why me?" he shrugs and I pull out my phone "I'm getting Damon." and text him -_something's up, cum 2 da skul x Jackie-_ I then go and sit on Alaric's desk.

As Damon comes in he says "sorry I'm late, dog ate my…never mind" he then takes a look at our faces and I stand "Isobel came to see Ric last night" he looks to Alaric and asks "Isobel's here?" Ric nods and then Damon paces to the other side of the class room and asks some questions, all that were not asked and ending up with Damon in Ric's face, then asks "what dose she want?" and Elena answers "she wants to see me" and I continue "and me" he looks to me in confusion and asks "why you?" I shrug and he says "your not going, and Elena doesn't have to go either. She's probably been hanging around, seen that I care about Jackie and is now using her for some kind of leverage. Your not going" he says to me sternly and Elena says "that sounds plausible, the whole leverage thing, but we have to meet her. we don't have a choice." and Stefan explains "she's threatening to go on a killing spree" and Damon says "I'm taking it that that not ok with you guys" and then Elena says "I wanna do it. I want to meet her, if I don't I know I'll regret it." and I stand "I'll go, for you" I say to my friend as she smiles gratefully.

We arrange to meet at the grill, Alaric and Damon wait outside, Stefan at the pool table. I sit next to Elena as we wait, I hear he whisper and know she's talking to Stefan, when suddenly there she is. Isobel sits in front of us with a small smile and says "hello Elena, Jackie. You look just like her, it's eerie" Elena leans forward and asks "you've met Katharine?" and she answers "she found me, after I turned. Genetic curiosity I suppose. She would be fascinated with you" Elena looks at her necklace and says "is that how you can walk in the day?" Isobel picks it up and says "Katharine helped me obtain it" she looks to me as Elena asks "who's my father?" and she bats off the question. After more questions, Elena asks "why did you want to meet me? It cant be just to catch up" she looks to us and says "because I was curious about you, both of you" I look at her and say "why me?" she looks to me and says "you have his eyes. Who knew twins could look so different. It's amazing really, how you found each other." Elena and I gasp in surprise "twins?" Elena asks, as Isobel starts talking about the invention we try to leave, she stops us and says to get the invention from Damon or people will die.

I just sit there as she leaves and vaguely acknowledge Elena crying in Stefan's arms. I stand and run outside, to where Damon is, tears running with me as I race to where I see him and Alaric standing. He turns to me as I fling myself into his arms and he asks, worried "what is it? what happened?" say in uncontrollable sobs "she's my mother, my mother Damon! Elena and I are sisters, twins!" both men look at me in shock as I sob hard. Damon takes me home and later on after I calm down Stefan, Bonnie and Elena show up. I walk to her and say "hey sis" she smiles and I say "this is good right? I mean we were friends and now we're sisters" she nods and agrees "totally a good thing" and she tells me of the plan to un-spell the invention and that Jeremy had been kidnapped.

We ask Damon about the plan and he says "absolutely not! I'm not going to give the device to Isobel, who's going to give it to john, who's going to turn around and kill me. I like being a living…dead, person" and Elena argues "but it'll be useless, bonnie can take it's power away" and I says truthfully "I don't trust her. No, I'll get Jeremy my own way" and everyone argues. Damon turns to Bonnie and says "I don't trust you. I tried to kill you" and she says "your right, you cant trust me" and I interject "but you trust me. Monster please, Jeremy's my friend. Do this for me, for your Angel." he looks to me and the takes out the device without hesitation, places it in my hand on hold onto my fingers as he looks into my eyes and says "for you" I smile to him as Elena says "thank you" and I hand her the device.

After Bonnie un-spells it I call Anna, telling her what's happened and for them to meet us in the town square. Elena and I wait patiently for Isobel, as a gust of wind come from behind we turn as she asks "where's the device?" and Elena counter attacks "where's my brother?" Isobel simply says "this isn't a negotiation. Where's the invention?" we stand strong and I ask "where's Jeremy?" she smiles to us and asks "do you really think that I came alone?" we turn to see two people standing behind us and I smile "do you really think we came alone?" with that Damon and Stefan walk behind her, Pearl and Anna to our right and Harper to our left. She looks around and says "for gods sakes, call home?" and Elena dose so, I hear Jeremy's voice faintly and can see Anna's concern. I nod to her to go and she leaves quickly.

Elena hangs up the phone and says "you where never going to hurt him" and Isobel says "no, I was going to kill him. don't look for any redeeming quality's in me, you wont find any" and Elena asks "but you took a risk with Damon, how'd you know he'd give it to us" she grin and says "because he's in love with her" she nods to me. I look at her in disbelief and hope, as she reaches out her hand but before Elena can give it her I say "I have one question. Why did Elena end up with the Gilbert's but I ended up with the Crimsons, two towns over?" she sign and says "they couldn't afford to take care of both of you, so when I heard of a nice couple who wanted a baby just a few towns away, I gave you to them." I take the device from Elena and walk over to Isobel, I slap her and say "thanks a lot, because of that choice, I ended up a punching bag and a sex toy. But it's ok, because I already have a vampire mother and you have nothing on her." I see a flicker of inner pain in her eyes as I throw the device to the ground "if I _ever_ see you again, if you _ever_ come after my _family_ again, _mother_ or not, I'll _stake_ you _myself_" with that she picks up the device and leaves.

Harper and Pearl come to me, Stefan going to Elena. She smiles to me and says "are you alright my dear?" I nod with tears and hug them both as I do I look for Damon, but he's gone.

When we get back to the house I walk to the library to find Damon pouring a drink. I walk up to him and ask "is it true?" without looking at me he say "is what true?" I feel tears burning in my eyes as I plead "are you in love with me?" he turns to me now and says "you're my best friend Jackie" I take a step closer to him and asks again "are you in love with me?" he wipes at my tear stained face and kiss's my forehead, avoiding the question. He picks up his drink and turns, beginning to walk away. As he dose I yell "answer the fucking question!" he turns to me and says "why is it important?" I stop crying and say "because I've been dreaming of you saying the words for a long time, but thinking that I could _never_ compeer to Katharine, I put my feeling aside and settled for being your friend, because I'd rather have you as that, than not at all" with that he walks to me, places the drink on the table and cups my face, searching for some sort of answer and asks "are you in love with me?" I nod lightly, my eyes never leaving his "yes" he searches my eyes for a hint of a lie and demands softly "say the words." and I surrender my heart "I'm in love with you Damon" gently leans into kiss me. A real kiss, full of passion and truth, as he pulls away he says "I'm in love with you to" I smile up at him as we kiss again. No more pretending, no more hiding, no more tears… because _he's_ in _love_ with _me_.


	12. New Arrival!

As I wake up alone in my room and as I look down I see I'm still in my clothes from yesterday and move to get up, but as I do Damon appears with a tray of pancakes and syrup, orange juice and a rose in a small vase. I smile up at him and ask "Pancakes? What's the occasion?" he smiles as he places the tray in front of me "you are… and these a little something I need to tell you" I look up at him and say nerves "I knew these pancakes came at a price. What is it? Your not having second thoughts are you?" he looks at me shocked "what? no! don't be silly. No, it's …um…I think your father might be John Gilbert" I look up at him in horror then think for a moment "oh, god. I think your right! I mean that explain the odd comments, the way he looked like he knew me when we first met! It makes perfect sense. But he's an asshole" he laughs lightly and says "true. Stefan's going to tell Elena. now eat up and get changed. we don't want to be late for the festival." he leans in to give me a sweet kiss and leaves to get ready. After I finish my pancakes, I get dressed into my black ripped flare jeans, blue sequin converse, a navy blue tank top and a black three quarter cardigan. I look up at the clock and realize that if I straighten my hair we'll be late, so decide to leave it with its natural curls free falling.

Damon and I drive to the festival and walk over to Stefan, hand in hand. Damon smirks at him and says "look at you, all retro" Stefan turns to us in a 1800's style outfit, that may have actually been his own, and asks "what are you doing here?" as we reach him Damon says "why wouldn't we be here? Bonnie deactivated the Gilbert invention, Isabel's gone and it'd founders day. I'm here eat cotton candy and hang with my girl" I smile up at him as Stefan says "just don't kill anyone" I look over his shoulder to see Elena dressed in a beautiful medieval dress, and hate myself for thinking as I first saw her, Katharine. She kerseys and comes over to us.

It's a few minuets before the festival starts and I frown as I look over at Caroline and Matt taking pictures, "what's wrong?" the voice of my new boyfriend asks "I don't want them to hate you. You're my best friend, my boyfriend and I want them to not hate you." he looks down at me pensive, then to my friends and pulls my hand "come on" we walk over to them. I let go of Damon's hand and give Caroline a large hug and say "congratulations! You look beautiful might I add" she smiles to me and says thanks but that smile dies as Damon stands next to me. I look between my two friends and my boyfriend as he says "Caroline look, when we went out, I treated you like crap. I was horrible to you and I cant take that back or make it better, but I can say I'm sorry and hope you stop hating me one day. Matt I was also an ass to you and I treated your girlfriend like shit. Am not asking either of you to forgive me, but Jackie's important to me and your important to her, so I'm hoping we can be civil and put the past away. So… I'm sorry" I look at him bewildered in shock, as dose everyone else and she says "well…um…I guess I can live will civil, for Jackie" I smile at her words "yeah man, me to. Thanks, for the apology, we appreciate it." Matt says. I hug them both just as Mrs Lockwood call's for them.

We stand and watch the parade but as we do I see Pearl and Harper and say "am just going to say hi" I give him a long sweet kiss and walk over to my friends. "hi guys" they each smile to me and Harper says "hello miss Jackie, its good to see you" I smile and say "you to Harper" as I hug him and then Pearl. Pearl looks to me with a small smile and says "I saw that kiss you and Damon just shared, and judging but the smile on you face I'm guessing he came to his senses" I nod and say "yeah, we're together and things are grate. I've had a lot of questions answered lately about who I am and I'm happy because I once thought that the answers would change me but they didn't. I found my family, both blood and not, and for the first time since I can remember, I can call somewhere home." they each smile to me as I turn to see Damon talking to Bonnie, the same look on her face that Caroline and Matt had earlier, disbelief and shock. I smile to myself knowing how hard he's trying, for me, to make things, not fixed, but better. Across the way I see Jeremy smiling, I turn to a angry looking Pearl and say "don't blame him for what Jonathan did to you. He loves her, she loves him and most importantly…he's not Jonathan Gilbert." she looks to me pensive as I say my goodbye and leave to find Damon, _my boyfriend_.

I sit with Jeremy and Damon at the grill, after I told him about the resent events he looks to me in shock "fuck! So your Elena's twin and my possible cousin? Cool." I smile at his reaction "to bad that your potential dad is such a vamp hating douche. Hay, can I be the one to tell him we're dating?" Damon asks with a large grin and I smile as I hit him on the arm. Elena walks in and over to us with a smile, now changed from her medieval dress to everyday jeans and top, I smile up at her ask "so did Stefan tell you?" she nods and takes a seat "I hope it's not true, I have enough problems with the family I actually care about" she says, just then Pearl comes over and Jeremy looks around weary as she says "hello, Jackie, Damon, Elena…Jeremy. Look Jeremy my daughter cares for you greatly and I have it on good authority that you care just as much for her, despite everything. What I'm trying to say is that…I'm sorry for judging you on your ancestors decisions and if you hurt her I'll drain you dry and rip you limb from limb, understand?" he nods lightly and she leaves with a smile.

Later on Damon and I are walking around the festival when Anna appears. I smile to my friend and ask "hay Anna, where you been all day? You missed the parade." she takes my hand that isn't holding Damon's and pulls us to a quite area "there's something you need to know, the vampires from the tomb are planning an attack tonight" she says sternly. I tighten my hold on Damon's hand as he questions "how do you know this?" crossing her arms she says "I went to them. They think I'm with them but I'm not. They want the founding family's dead. That means Jeremy, Elena and…" filled with fear I finish "me" Damon looks to me in worry and asks her "when is this suppose to happen?" and she inches closer "when the fireworks start" I cling to Damon and say "my 'maybe' dad wants to use the invention on them, but your safe, Bonnie deactivated it." she looks at me concerned "then a lot of people are going to die, there here already." I detach my self from Damon and take her hands in mine "go get Jeremy, get out. Get Pearl and Harper to, go to the boarding house text me when you get there. Stay safe." she nods and pulls me into a tight hug "you too" she whispers, then leaves to do as told.

After she leaves Damon and I rush over to Ric "hay Ric, do you keep those nifty little vampire weapons in the car?" Damon asks in hushed tones, as we walk way from the crowd, "yeah, why do you ask?" he answers in concern "because this square is crawling with tomb vampires. I think we might need a stake or two." Damon says and Ric nods "I got it" as he walks to get the weapons. We then see Elena and Stefan walking happily and go to them, I take Elena hand as Damon says "the tomb vamps are here. Founding family's are the target. Get them out of here. Now!" I turn to Damon and insist "I'm coming with you" he takes may face and says "don't be the hero for once. Go with them. Be safe. I love you Angel" I nod as he kiss's me hard and lovingly "I love you to Monster", then leaves to do what ever he's planning. Stefan goes to follow Damon but Elena says "wait, Jeremy's out here" just then my phone bleeps and I say and read "no he's not. -_got Jer, mom an Harp, we r at da bh x Anna_- he's safe." she sighs, reassured and then we turn to leave. As we walk hastily past the crowd and near an ally, the fireworks start and Stefan hits the floor, gripping his head in pain.

As Elena and I try to help Stefan up a deputy starts making his way over to us, but Ric interjects, then quickly helps us hide Stefan on some steps, out of site of the deputies. After a few minutes Stefan is fine and explaining the pain as Ric says he saw at least five vampires go down and that their taking them to Elena's family's building and everything clicks as I yell "she didn't deactivate it. Damon thought he'd be safe" and I run up the stairs as the three rush to follow me. I reach the building to see John Gilbert and a few deputies, I push into him and say "what did you do? Where is he? Where's Damon?" he composes himself and says just as the others catch up "where he should be. It's over for them. I'm just doing what should have been done 145 years ago. This is the right thing." Stefan, Ric and Elena run to the building before John can do anything, but he catches my arm as I run after them "take one more step and I'll alert those deputies that they missed a vampire" he says, I look up to him with tears "what kind of _father_ are you?" he looks at me shocked and asks "you know?" I try in vain to pull my arm away "it wasn't hard to figure out. Please, I'm asking as your _daughter_ for you to not let the man who saved me burn" he snarls "saved you? He took you away from a normal childhood, a normal life" in anger I spat "so being beaten within an inch of my life by the man you gave me to and raped by his brother is a _normal_ life to you? Damon killed them, saved me from that…that _hell_ you left me in. so don't you dare think yourself better than him." he lets go of my arm in shock horror and says sadly "I didn't know" and I snarl "how could you? You weren't there!" he looks to his hand and pulls his ring from it "take this, it'll protect you." I take the ring and push it on my finger as I run to get Damon, only to find him on the side walk. I fly to him and rap my arms around his un-dead body, tears of joy in my eyes, my fathers ring on my finger.

After the fire brigade clear the Gilbert building I turn to Damon and say "I thought I lost you there for a minuet" he smirks and says "takes more than an angry mob, vervain and fire to get rid of me. I'm tough like that" I smile and rap my arms around him and then lean up to his mouth longingly and then look up to my boyfriend and say "I need to talk to John. He's fucked up royally, but he's still my dad and he wouldn't have given this to me if he didn't care, right?" he nods and answers "right. I still hate him though" I laugh and say "he tried to kill you, your allowed to hate him. He thought that you destroyed my chance at a normal life, he didn't know about what they did to me, that you saved me." his only response in to take my hand and jest "lets go see _Daddy_" as we walk to the car.

He drives us round back and I ask him to stay in the car. I walk up to the backdoor nervously but rush in at the sound of heavy breathing. As I enter I see a pool of blood swimming from around the table and turn into the counter to see John, knife in his chest, blood gushing from his stomach and dripping from his mouth. I run to him "daddy!" I say as I take the ring from my finger and place it on his, "I'm… so… sorry I …*couth*…left you. I *couth* love you …baby-girl." he mutters, I look up at him with a mouton of tears and say "I love you to daddy. Your fine, your goanna be fine. _DAMON_!" he's there in an instant and I plead "save him!" his fetchers change as he bites into his wrists and forces John to drink, just then Elena walks in. Damon pulls his wrist away and Elena crouches down "oh my god, what happened?" as he removes the knife from his chest and the wound begins to heal, John says "_Katharine_!" all eyes go wide and my head feels really light suddenly and the next thing I see is the back of my eye lids, then darkness.


End file.
